However when you open the document as a .doc, and try to edit the data

Do you mean "when they create a .doc from the .dot" (e.g. using File|New) or
do you mean that they are literally renaming the .dot? But in any case, is
the .doc still attached to the .dot (i.e. in Tools|Templates and Add-ins) ?
If so,If so, I would guess that it is because the .dot already has the data
source open and it's an exclusive open, so that when the .doc tries to open
it, it fails.As far as I can remember, this behaviour is visible in Word
XP/2003 but not Word 2000.

If it is that, there are two ways your customer could go:
a. don't use a template. Create the Mail merge doc. by copying another .doc
b. remove the data source from the template and set it up in an Autonew
macro instead.

If it isn't that, which version of Word and what is the data source?

Peter Jamieson

"Tanya" wrote in message
...
Hi Folks

I have a customer who has created a mail merge within a .dot. when you
work
through the merge in the .dot it works perfectly you can edit the data.
However when you open the document as a .doc, and try to edit the data
source it comes up with the following error:
"This operation cannot be completed because of dialog or database engine
failure"
I have checked the MDAC and the version is uptodate and they are not
having
any problems with any of the other mail merges just this one that uses a
template.

any help would be much appreciated

Thanks
Tanya